Scrievit in aw dialects, registers and forms by folk fae aw the airts, pairts and vennels o life. At the hin-end o this wud heeliegoleerie year, backward cast an ee and read it aw again. Enjoy. Reflect. See whit we as a language community can dae when we pit wir heid and hert tae it.

And wi the New Year forenent us, we wid noo like tae mak the same caw for mair scrievin in the Mither Tongue in 2017.

The maist rewardin pairt o it for me, as I’m shair the ither Bella editors wid say and aw, has been publishin new Scots makars, folk scrievin in Scots for the first time. As Karen Campbell signed aff her honest hertfelt first written piece in Scots back in Januar, ‘A’m still runnin they new shoes in.’

Sic fashin and attendant snashin aboot spellin fae ahint the bunkers o social media has scunnered and pit aff at least a dizzen folk fae tryin their haun at publishin in Scots on Bella this year.

It is shairly in aabody’s interest tae foster the confidence tae scrieve in the Scots leid, no huckle it as soon’s it’s roadit. Aiblins it’s mair constructive tae encourage new scrievin in Scots, or for activists themsels tae scrieve pieces for Bella in whit micht in time be taen up as a standard.

The Bella editors aa agree that the estaiblishment o a standard Scots has a role tae play in the general acceptance o the Scots language in oor society. And there’s nae doot eneuch dictionars and exemplars exist for a standard Scots tae be recognised and promotit.

But until ane is universally acceptit, we defend the richt o aw scrievers tae spell their Scots in ony wey they want, and wid mak the point it’s no the wyte o Scotland’s makars and scrievers that the Scots leid is the bonnie broukit bairn or the Rashiecoats o Scottish society that is the day. In fact, if it wisnae for makars like MacDiarmid or Morgan or Lochhead and ithers, whaur wid we be?

Makars, activists, aw o us that uphaud Scots as a national language o Scotland should wark thegither tae pressure the pouers that be tae dae mair for Scots. We hae a Scottish Pairlament and a Scottish Nationalist government that barely tholes the Scots leid forby in the maist tokenistic o weys. They hae the nummers fae the 2011 Census at their disposal – 1.6 million oot o 5 million speak Scots – sae why are the Scots speakers aye at the dowp-end o the queue for provision, siller and respect?

Bella Caledonia is whaur extremes meet. Folk dinna haud back on here and shouldna. It is ane o the forums for debate and intellectual rammies whaur the mettle o the Scots language can be pouked and testit. In 2017 and ayont, Bella will weelcome and share in guid faith aw views aboot the leid and the bleezin political and social issues o the day.

Settin yer thochts and comments doon in five hunner tae a thoosan words in flegless Scots prose minds oor maisters that we’re aye here, that the Scots voice o the Scottish nation will no be wheeshtit. And that, gin Scotland is tae be Scotland again, her Scots speakers and scrievers belang at the hert and no the ootlan o her present and her future.

Thank you for this, Matthew. A year ago I would not have attempted this article. Thanks to the Thursday page in the National and Bella’s continuing efforts (and a wee black book for noting unknown words to look up) I am making progress. You guys are doing a great job.
John Page

John, your description of the brutal reality is a sad indictment of inaction and intransigence on the part of successive Scottish Governments and educational institutions, who say fine words (e.g. “we will respect the Scots language”) but deliver nothing. Until we see a Scots Language Act giving the language back to the people ‘wha spik it an wha shuid hiv dint tae lairn it richt’ there can be no respect, only cultural discrimination.

i know some handlers treat their chickens better than their own children. they do train them. that’s one of the things i want to further explore when we return next year. can’t wait. i’ll have more series’ from the Philppiines in further From the Vault posts.